Foam generator



Dec. 19, 1933. K. scHMlDT Erm.

FOAM GENERATOR Filed Sept. 23. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ff l o e l/ A Y 9 lm/l/ENToRs -KARL 5MM/0T 2 @MM5/v5 WM5/vm l] WM ATTORNEY Dec. 19, 1933. Ki 5HM|DT [g1-AL 1,940,272

FOAM GENERATOR Filed Sept. 23, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2

INVENTOR KAM .SU/MMT wm ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 19, 1.933

Karl Schmidt,

Wagoner, Berlin,

Neuruppin,

and Clemens Germany, Y assgnors to APyl'ene-ll'linimax Corporation, a corporation of 1j Delaware ,Application september 23, 1929, serial No. 394,694, and in Germany September 29, 1928 4s claims. (o1. 169-15) The present invention relates to foam producing apparatus and has for an object to provide' an improved apparatusfor producing-fire extinguishing foam. l l

The nature and objects of theiinvention will bexbetter understood from a description of a particular` illustrative embodiment thereof for the purpose of which description reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part .hereof and in which- Figure 1 is a central sectional view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional .view taken on the line II--II of Fig. 1,

Figure 3 is a detail view of the valve operating mechanism,

Figure 4 is a central sectional view of another embodiment of the invention, and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line V--V Of Fig. 4.

The apparatus shown for the purposes of illustration comprises a casing providing a chamber for a charge of re foam forming chemicals and a number of nozzles arranged to direct streams of water into the powder charge with a foam outlet positioned more or less centrally at the top. In the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the casing 5 is provided with four nozzles 6 which direct water preferably diagonally into the powder charge to provide a swirling motion. The foam formed in the chamber is permitted to escape through the outlet 7 which is preferably positioned at the center of the top of the chamber where the water which rises up the sides of the chamber due to the swirling action cannot enter. Provision is made for draining the chamber for cleaning through an outlet 10V plied thereby. That is to say, that section of the pipe which supplies only the last'nozzle will have a cross-sectional area of three and onehalf times the cross-sectional area of the nozzle, Whereas that section of the pipe that carries water to two nozzles will have twice as large a cross-sectional area, etc.

The foam outlet '7 is in the form of a curved funnel tapering to a foam conduit 15 which leads to the point of use. The flowof foam may be controlled by valves 16, 17 both in the water supply pipe 11` and in the foam conduit 15. It 60 is desirable that the foam conduit should always be open when the water supply Valve is open, and should remain open after the closingv of the water control valve for the reason that the generation of foam will continue for a time after the water supply'is shut off. Accordingly, the actuating levers 18 and 19 of the two valves are connected by a slotted link so arranged that as the lever 18 moves to open the water supply valve 16, the lever 19 will be actuated to open 70 the foam control valve 17, but upon reverse vmovement of the lever` 18, the connecting pin of the lever 19 will move in the slot of the connecting link 2G. v

In Figs. 4 and 5 an embodiment of the invenf5 tion is shown wherein the foam outlet comprises a conduit connected into a dome formed at the top of the generator casing and a removable sleeve suspended from the dome projecting within the casing. This embodiment of the invengo tion is in other respects similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The foregoing particular description is illustrative merely and is not intended as defining the limits of the invention. By the expression S5 free intake rim as used in some of the appended claims We intend to refer to the free edge surrounding the intake opening of the foam outlet, this edge being free in the sense that it is suspended away from or independently of the top and side Walls of the container.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for generating re foam comprising a casing providing a chamber for a charge of foam forming material, pipe lines for conducting water to said chamber and for conducting foam from said chamber, a valve in each line and connections for operating said valves arranged to open both valves simultaneously but to independently close the water control valve.

2. Apparatus for generating fire foam which comprises a casing providing a chamber for the reception of foam forming powder, means adjacent the periphery of said casing near the top Athereof for introducing water downwardly into said chamber with a swirling movement, and a foam outlet extending downwardly into said casing at its center, said outlet having a free intake rim spaced from the sides and top of saidY casl l ing, whereby an annular pocket in open communication with said chamber is provided at the top of said chamber around said outlet.

3. Apparatus for generating fire foam which comprises a casing providing a chamber for the reception' of foam forming powder, a plurality of nozzles arranged obliquely within and adjacent the periphery of said casing and adapted to direct streams of water into saidA chamber, producing a swirling motion of the liquid therein, said nozzles terminating in substantially the same plane, and a foam outlet extending downwardly into said casing at its center, said outlet having a free intake rim spaced from the sides and top of said casing and in a plane at' least as low as the inner ends of said nozzles, whereby an annular pocket in open communication with said chamber is provided around said outlet.

4. Apparatus for generating nre foam ywhich comprises a substantially cylindrical casing providing a chamber for the receptionV of foam forming powder, a foam outlet comprising an open hood extending centrally into the casing from the top, and so arranged as to provide an annular pocket around said hoodin open communication with said chamber, and means within said pocket for directing water tangntially into said chamber, said means being arranged wholly above the freev inner end of said hood.

5. Apparatus for generating fire foam which comprises a substantially cylindrical casing providing a chamber for the reception of foam forming powder, a foam outlet comprising an open hood extending centrally into the casing from the top. and so arranged as to provide an annular pocket around said hood in open communication with said chamber, and means within said pocket for directing Water tangentially into said chamber, said means being arranged wholly above the free inner end of said hood and including nozzles and an annularly arranged delivery pipe of decreasing cross sectional area, said area at any point being denitely related to the number of nozzles to f be supplied beyond said point.

6. Apparatus for generating re foam which comprises a casing providing a chamber for the reception of foam forming powder, means adjacent the periphery of said casing for introducing water into said chamber with a swirling movement, and a foam outlet extending downwardly into said casing at its center, Said outlet including a removable ring having a free intake rim spaced from the sides and top of said casing, whereby an annular pocket in open communication with said chamber'is provided around said ring.

KARL SCHMIDT. CLEMENS WAGENER. 

